Kalawati may split nascent third front
RLDF to persuade CPI to give up seat & support Kalawati.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Fissures seem to be surfacing within Maharashtra���s third front over the Wani constituency where Kalawati is contesting the assembly polls. The decision of some constituents of the Republican Left Democratic Front (RLDF) to back the candidature of the Vidarbha farmer���s widow has not gone down well with CPI, which on Monday declared its candidate for the seat.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement of RLDF, Wani is one of the 18 seats allotted to CPI. With the Vidarbha Jana Andolan Samiti declaring Kalawati���s candidature, pressure started mounting on CPI not to put up a candidate in Wani for a united fight against the Congress in the constituency. However, CPI is refusing to give up contesting the Wani seat in Yavatmal and has announced the candidature of Anil Ghate, a social activist working for the tribals. Incidentally, Kalawati���s Jalka village gram panchayat in Yavatmal district is represented by CPI.
RLDF leaders had on Sunday endorsed the decision of Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Jayant Patil that the third front should support Kalawati, who gained fame overnight after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi narrated her tale in Lok Sabha to highlight the plight of the poor. CPI was not present at the front���s meeting, the party sources said.
RLDF was of the view that since she symbolised the woes of the farmers��� kith and kin, the third front should refrain from putting up a candidate in Wani. However, CPI���s state leaders said the main issue in the tribal and workers��� dominated constituency, known as black diamond, was encroachment of land from coal miners and tribals and not farmers��� plight.
The third front, which is already causing worries within the Congress, felt Kalawati���s story after she shot to fame would give added ammo to it to fight the grand old party. The Wani seat is being fought by the Congress and the Shiv Sena. Mr Patil even announced that he would give Kalawati Rs 5 lakh to fund her election campaign.
The parties had decided to get together to persuade CPI to give up the seat and support Kalawati. Though the differences do not seem to threaten to break apart the RLDF, they are sure to leave some bitterness in relations of the parties within the front.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement of RLDF, Wani is one of the 18 seats allotted to CPI. With the Vidarbha Jana Andolan Samiti declaring Kalawati���s candidature, pressure started mounting on CPI not to put up a candidate in Wani for a united fight against the Congress in the constituency. However, CPI is refusing to give up contesting the Wani seat in Yavatmal and has announced the candidature of Anil Ghate, a social activist working for the tribals. Incidentally, Kalawati���s Jalka village gram panchayat in Yavatmal district is represented by CPI.
RLDF leaders had on Sunday endorsed the decision of Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Jayant Patil that the third front should support Kalawati, who gained fame overnight after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi narrated her tale in Lok Sabha to highlight the plight of the poor. CPI was not present at the front���s meeting, the party sources said.
RLDF was of the view that since she symbolised the woes of the farmers��� kith and kin, the third front should refrain from putting up a candidate in Wani. However, CPI���s state leaders said the main issue in the tribal and workers��� dominated constituency, known as black diamond, was encroachment of land from coal miners and tribals and not farmers��� plight.
The third front, which is already causing worries within the Congress, felt Kalawati���s story after she shot to fame would give added ammo to it to fight the grand old party. The Wani seat is being fought by the Congress and the Shiv Sena. Mr Patil even announced that he would give Kalawati Rs 5 lakh to fund her election campaign.
The parties had decided to get together to persuade CPI to give up the seat and support Kalawati. Though the differences do not seem to threaten to break apart the RLDF, they are sure to leave some bitterness in relations of the parties within the front.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
